


A Unique Solution

by grimcognito



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers - MTMTE
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Co-Dependance, Established Relationship, Gen, M/M, Spark Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-04
Updated: 2013-11-04
Packaged: 2017-12-31 11:17:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1031058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimcognito/pseuds/grimcognito
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Red Alert steps into a new position as Chief Security Officer, Rung has a solution to the long-standing issue of Red Alert's glitch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Unique Solution

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fulcrumisthebomb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fulcrumisthebomb/gifts).



> A GIGANTIC thank you to Succubii who helped out a ton in writing Rung's detailed explanations, this would be much, much crappier without his help. You're the best!
> 
> The event Rung mentions about Inferno is from this story:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1031048
> 
> orn - about a week  
> vorn - about a year
> 
> Standard Disclaimers Apply- I own nothing from Transformers, IDW or Hasbro and this is merely a work of fiction that makes no profit, written for fun.

Rung waited patiently, standing beside his desk with his arms relaxed at his sides. He stayed still as Red Alert scanned his office for any threats or hidden recording devices. It came up clean, as always, and Rung smiled as Red Alert warily stepped inside, venting a heavy huff of air. 

Today was a big day, Red Alert’s ‘good friend’ would be joining him at Rung’s request. Rung was already quite aware of who Inferno was; there was no hiding how close the two were, not when he simply had to find a name and file to match all the hints and clues Red Alert had given him over vorns of sessions. He was eager to meet the one mech who had the bearings, willpower, patience--and probably enough love to turn away Unicron--to manage to gaining Red’s undying trust.

Red Alert seemed to find everything in order, and leaned back through the open door to whisper something to whoever was out of sight. Rung smiled as a large mech appeared around the doorway, bright red with white and black accents. He had a friendly air about him, a hand settling on Red Alert’s arm as he smiled down at him, and it wasn’t the humoring smile of someone tolerating an annoyance but a genuine smile. What struck Rung was how much of an effect it had. 

Red Alert relaxed, as much as he could, and smiled slightly as he leaned into the mech’s touch. The mech turned to him, keeping one hand on Red’s arm. “Greetin’s, the name’s Inferno.” 

Red sucked in a gasp, whipping his head around to stare at Inferno in shock. Inferno patted his arm with a grin. “Red, he probably has my file here somewhere. I ain’t famous, but not a lot a’ mechs look like me neither.”

Red frowned, but didn’t argue. Rung was surprised, though he supposed he shouldn’t have been, but it was much different to suspect something than it was to see it happen. He waved to the cushioned bench, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you, Inferno. You may sit if you’d like.” He took his own seat, across from the bench as Red Alert and Inferno sat down, settling closely together.

Red Alert was jittery as usual, optics never settling in one place for long, and Inferno looked far more calm than his partner. Rung looked down at his notes and was as sure as he could be that this was the right course to take. “Red Alert, do you remember why I asked for this group meeting?”

Red Alert’s attention zeroed in on him and Rung merely stared back calmly, used to it after all this time. Red Alert shifted slightly in his seat and frowned. “You had a suggestion for keeping my glitch in line.”

“Specifically for your current position as Chief Security Officer. That’s a lot of stress for anyone to handle, much less keep under control while working to keep all of us within the Autobot ranks safe.” Rung gently added. 

“That sounds great Doc, but I’m not sure why you needed me here. Red prefers his sessions alone, and he could give me the details later.” Inferno said, rubbing the back of his helm.

Rung smiled. “But it does involve you, and I am afraid this session will delve a bit more into intimate matters than usual, but if my theory is correct, Red Alert, you could be able to lessen the negative effects of your glitch. Possibly even their frequency and strength.”

“T-that’s not possible, not without a level of medication that would not only impede my ability to correctly fulfill my duties, but that I have no interest in!” Red Alert stated, spinal strut rigid and hands clenched on his lap. 

Inferno was frowning at Rung, demeanor a tad less friendly than before. “Doc, you’re offering something we’ve been lookin’ ta find for a long time. It better not be anythin’ involvin’ shady experiments or shock therapy. That’s all a load a’ scrap, and does nothin’ but make things worse.”

Shaking his head, Rung head up his hands in a placating manner. “No! No, none of that, I promise you. This is indeed a very new concept, and one that I would hesitate to offer anyone other than you two, but it is completely harmless. You would in no way be negatively affected if it ends up not working.”

Inferno’s eyes were narrowed, but he seemed ready to listen, to be convinced. Red Alert less so. “What’s the catch? Why would it only work for us? I don’t trust it.”

Rung bit back a soft smile at the common phrase and held out the data files in his hands. There were three, his own complied notes for this theory, untampered medical notes—most of them from Ratchet himself—and detailed reports, documents and written theories on the nature of glitches. All had been painstakingly compiled, but if he was right, it could change Red Alert’s life. “Take a look at these, you can even scan them with your own programs to make sure I didn’t tamper or fabricate any of the official reports. My offer is based on some of the more radical, but still quite sound theories about glitches being a part of a mech, not erasable or correctable, but an integral part of their frame. Now, that’s nothing new, but pair it with another theory that all sparks have the ability to heal, in a similar way that the matrix does, just on a much smaller scale.

“It is possible that a steady stimulation of that healing nature within the spark could help to soothe the glitch within a frame. Go ahead and look, there are a few examples of mechs that have seriously benefitted from it, though it is true that it is not a solution to every kind of glitch.”

Red Alert did scan it himself, and after three runs, had to admit that it wasn’t tampered with, and skimmed through them, letting Inferno take the ones he wasn’t looking at to read through himself. “So… what exactly does that mean? What kind of stimulation, these examples show some were attached to devices to do so, and I absolutely refuse to have any part of that.”

Rung laced his fingers and rested his hands in his lap, knowing this next part would be the turning point. “No, and I wouldn’t suggest it, but the same results can be had from far simpler methods of stimulation.”

“Like what?” Inferno asked, optics flicking between the data pad and Rung. 

“Such as spark-merging.”

The two of them froze. Red Alert looked ready to make an escape out the window if he had to, Inferno just looked surprised. Rung was quick to continue before Red Alert gathered enough wits to begin yelling denials. “Red Alert, we have been having sessions for a long time, and I have noticed a pattern emerge. There are certain times during which you have excellent control over your systems, despite having the same stress load as usual. These usually happen directly after you’ve been given required time off duty, and, I suspect, the only period when you and Inferno have enough time alone together to properly merge. Am I correct?”

Red Alert looked close to a full on panic, but Inferno actually leaned in, intent. He settled a hand on Red Alert’s leg and smiled gently at him, something silent passing between them, and Rung felt a tiny tension ease inside that he’d been correct about how close they were. 

Inferno was the one to answer. “Yeah, that’s right. So, you’re saying that when we merge, it… it helps?”

“Ridiculous!” Red managed. “If the answer was that simple glitches wouldn’t be a problem!”

Rung spread his hands. “It’s not quite that simple. It takes a level of trust few couples manage to merge sparks completely and successfully, a level of trust I suspect only one mech has ever earned from you, Red Alert. When I first saw signs of how close your relationship was, I admit I was worried. It suggests a level of codependence that I would normally discourage. You two, however are the exception.”

Meeting Inferno’s optics, he motioned at the data file with his notes. “I am well aware of your need for close proximity to each other, and I have seen the report of when you two were ordered on separate missions.” Inferno looked away, shoulders a bit hunched, and Red Alert fell completely silent. 

“As I said, normally, this would be a grave concern, but you two are unique in that you are one of the most high-functioning pairs I’ve ever heard of. Even mechs with overlapped nervous systems have more trouble connecting than you two. Quite frankly, it’s astounding. And for that reason, I think this would work.”

Red Alert carefully took Inferno’s hand in his own, and Rung understood the amount of trust in him that simple gesture showed, smiling slightly in return. “But how exactly does it make things better?”

Dipping his head with a nod, Rung laced his fingers once more. "Do you know why we need to recharge, Red Alert? It allows our systems to rest, yes, but it goes much deeper than that. Recharging gives our processes the freedom to defrag our systems and correct infinitesimal errors that we accrue while we're fully conscious. For most mechs, this is sufficient to keep them from getting repeated errors that could grow into malfunctions, or in your case, feeding into your existing glitch. You, Red, are not most mechs- your frame is so hypersensitive it cannot keep up with all the minute changes you require.

"Since you cannot keep up your internal maintenance on your own,” he motioned at Inferno, at their clasped hands, “the introduction of another mech harmonizing with your systems would produce the same effect as recharging does for the rest of us. While your sparks are merged, your processes are shared as well, which can ease the burden of repair for both of you. Being able to properly maintain your systems will greatly reduce your chances for random glitches, and could potentially reduce the severity when you do have one.

"...And beyond these benefits, it would have a positive impact on your mental state. Bonding frequently satisfies our basic need to connect with others, and I believe it would help you maintain a clearer perspective of your surroundings and give you a safety and comfort you otherwise could not find."

Rung tilted his head at the end, brows furrowing when Red Alert stared down at his lap, gripping Inferno’s hand so tightly they were trembling. Inferno leaned in a whispered something too soft to hear, Red Alert nodded after a moment and looked back up. “And you think this could work?”

“Yes. If nothing else, it would ease some of the burden your system has to handle on a regular basis, and that alone could help your general well-being. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?”

Inferno waited for Red Alert’s answer, rubbing a thumb over his knuckles as he let his partner think it over. “Yes.” Red Alert finally said, smiling down at their hands. “I guess it is.”

Inferno’s smile was wide and suited him, it was also infectious, as Rung found his own mouth quirking up at the corners. “As clinical as it sounds, I would recommend a full merging at least once orn, and as much as it might feel intrusive, I will need to know how often you do so, and how it affects your general functionality.”

Red Alert grumbled, clearly put out, but Inferno was grinning and chuckling softly, which Rung suspected kept him from protesting more. He nodded and agreed in the end, though made it clear he was doing so under protest. Inferno just shook his head and turned to Rung. “Doc, if this works, and I hope ta Primus it does, then you’ll have done more than we can repay.”

“This solution works specifically for you two, but versions of it could help others who are affected by glitches as well, and it could be a breakthrough we’ve been waiting to see for a long time. There’s no need to thank me, though I appreciate it.”

He stood, and the other two followed suit. “I think I’ve given you two more than enough to think about for now. It was very nice to meet you, Inferno, and Red Alert, I do look forward to meeting you for our next session. Do either of you have any questions?”

They both declined and he led them to the door, happy that things had gone much smoother than he’d expected. “Remember you can contact me at any time if you need to, have a good day.”

They said their goodbyes and the door slid shut behind them, Rung noticing they kept their hands together even as they left. He wasn’t a jealous type, but those two had something few would ever find, and he was glad for it, humming a soft tune as he pulled out a kit for the newest ship model.


End file.
